


Much Like Falling

by GlassesOfJustice



Category: Star Trek: Discovery
Genre: Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/F, Michael Burnham has so many moms, Missing Scene, Multi, Older Woman/Younger Woman, Polyamory
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-16
Updated: 2021-01-16
Packaged: 2021-03-13 21:40:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,137
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28660359
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GlassesOfJustice/pseuds/GlassesOfJustice
Summary: ...sometimes you don't understand.
Relationships: Michael Burnham/Katrina Cornwell/Mirror Philippa Georgiou
Comments: 2
Kudos: 15
Collections: Holly Poly 2020





	Much Like Falling

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Miri Cleo (miri_cleo)](https://archiveofourown.org/users/miri_cleo/gifts).



> Missing scene set during 2x11 _Perpetual Infinity_.

Philippa watched Michael glide out of the transporter bay. She looked serene, but Philippa knew it was shock teetering on a meltdown. She pushed off from the wall she had tucked herself against and slipped her hand in Michael’s. 

“Come with me.”

Georgiou led them through the ship, staring down and scaring off anyone who had thoughts of engaging them. When they walked through the door Katrina was at her desk; locking eyes with Philippa they exchanged enough information for Katrina to move immediately toward them. Michael hadn’t let her hand go, hadn’t said anything yet, but when Katrina folded her into a hug she melted into Katrina’s embrace. Philippa moved closer so she could rub small circles against Michael’s lower back. 

“I didn’t expect you back so soon,” Katrina said softly over Michael’s head. 

Philippa squeezed Kat’s arm and shook her head slightly. Philippa wasn’t sure what would set Michael off, but knew that when Michael emerged from this daze, she’d be a swirl of emotions she wasn’t equipped to deal with. Michael was barely figuring out how to deal with Philippa in this new context and she was certain she hadn’t fully processed this arrangement the three of them had. It was the outlet she needed, but that didn't make it easy or dinner conversation.

Humans carried around tremendous guilt that Terrans didn’t experience, which Georgiou found to be a hindrance. Michael was like a bottle under pressure; she had been pushing the cap down on her emotions for so long, now that they had started to fizz over, she was vulnerable to overflowing outbursts. For a long time she couldn’t look at Philippa without seeing her captain who she’d let down, gotten killed. But they were past that now. Onto bigger challenges indeed.

Katrina had her fingers pressed into the back of Michael’s head, massaging her neck, working into tight curls to get at the pressure points at the base of her skull. 

“Philippa, will you get Michael some water?”

Philippa squeezed Kat’s arm again before moving away from them. Their dynamic, Philippa willing to be deferential to Katrina (sometimes), helped Michael to see another side to her, opened up possibilities. Katrina recruiting Philippa to Section 31, where she was able to maintain a lot of autonomy, was the best thing she could expect out of this universe, and she certainly knew how important it was to have allies in high places. 

“Michael, drink this,” Philippa said, offering it out.

Michael didn’t move, didn’t let go of Katrina.

Katrina bent her head down to speak softly in Michael’s ear, “Come on, Michael. Time to be a big girl. You need to drink some water so you can tell me what happened on Essof IV.”

Katrina turned Michael in her arms and held onto her by the hips while she drank. Katrina seemed willing to anchor Michael as long as she needed. Philippa was waiting for Michael’s jumble of emotions to bubble to the surface. Michael downed the water without taking a breath, and when she handed the glass back, she let Philippa look into her eyes. They were such an intense brown, and even in distress she couldn’t help but find Michael beautiful. Philippa caressed her cheek, thumb resting on her high cheekbones. 

“It’s okay Michael. We’re here. We’ve been here,” Katrina reassured her. Philippa would never admit it, but she found it comforting, the way Katrina spoke of them as a unit. 

Michael's shoulders slumped. She took a deep steadying breath and Philippa could tell she was trying to let some of the tension out in her exhale. Philippa stepped closer into Michael's space; she gently pulled the zipper of her jacket free and carefully pulled it down. Katrina worked the jacket off her strong shoulders and Michael seemed slightly more relaxed, more comfortable. Less suffocated by her duty, and her perceived failure. 

"She locked me in a closet with nothing but a stuffed bunny. All this time, _years_ I thought she was dead. I watched over 800 of her mission logs. Hours of footage of her tirelessly trying to get back to me. And now…" Michael's voice broke. 

Both Katrina and Georgiou moved to comfort her, each grabbing an arm. They guided Michael to the bed, adjusting themselves beside her. Georgiou let Katrina take the lead, watched her make circles with her thumb over Michael's hand. 

"Michael, parents are inexplicable and sometimes wrong and your mother is no different. I know this hurts, and it's piling up on all the other hurts. Your Phillipa for instance." At the mention of Georgiou's Prime self, Michael bristled, but Georgiou carried on. "Trying to make sense of her unwillingness to see you won’t get you anywhere. It won't make it hurt any less. If she can't see the independent woman you've become, that's her loss. You have me--"

"And me. And you’ve always had Amanda," Katrina cut in, moving to pull Michael more fully into her body.

"You're strong Michael. Don't let this break you." Philippa held Michael's gaze, pleading with her to listen to them.

Katrina lowered her voice again, "Look at you and Spock. A month ago did you think you would be here, together, friends? I've never seen you smile so big as when he calls you out on something only a brother could. Humn?" Katrina prodded.

"No," Michael admitted. "But you weren't there. She completely dismissed me. Her only daughter. It doesn't make sense! 840 trips, and now she's here but she won't talk to me." 

Georgiou could see tears threatening, the weight of the rejection too much to swallow down. Philippa pressed her thumb just below Michael's eye, catching a few tears. Katrina kissed her on the shoulder, still holding her tightly.

"Philippa might disagree with me, but Michael, you need to let go. Let it out. Cry it out. Scream it out. Whatever it is you need to do. And we'll be here for you. But your Captain and your crew still need you. We still haven't solved the problem of how to keep the sphere data away from Control."

"I'm available to spar if you'd rather hit something than wallow like you humans are prone to do."

"Philippa," Kat warned.

"What?" Philippa shrugged, feigning innocence.

Their exchange made Michael laugh, a welcome sound. Philippa always enjoyed misbehaving, but especially so opposite Katrina's disapproval.

The frustrated scream Michael let out startled them both, Katrina so much so that she nearly fell off the bed. Then they were all laughing, but soon that gave way to Michael crying. Georgiou rolled her eyes but after a disapproving look from Katrina, positioned herself so that Michael could bury into her chest. Katrina stayed behind her, stroking her softly, saying over and over, "We're here, we've got you. We won't let you go."

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks to LittleRaven and AudreyV for the beta work, it really pulled this together.


End file.
